Have you ever tried saying numbers like 450, 52, or even one million in Yorùbá and ended up confused or embarrassed? You’re not alone. Many native speakers, even proud Yorùbás, struggle to recall how to form or pronounce larger numbers in their own language. If your last memory of Yorùbá numbers is from primary school, this post is for you.
Let’s take a fun and detailed journey through the Yorùbá numbering system—from basic digits to advanced figures like 450, 1,000, and beyond. By the end, you’ll understand how it works, how to say any number in Yorùbá, and maybe impress a few friends!
Who Are the Yorùbá and Why Learn Their Numbers?
The Yorùbá people, numbering over 40 million, are primarily located in southwestern Nigeria but also spread across Benin, Togo, Ghana, and the diaspora. Their language, Yorùbá, is one of the most widely spoken African languages and belongs to the Niger-Congo family.
Understanding how Yorùbá people count is a doorway into appreciating their culture, history, and wisdom systems, especially because their numbering is uniquely vigesimal—that is, based on 20s instead of 10s.
The Yorùbá Numbering System: How It Works
Base-20 (Vigesimal) Logic
Yorùbá numbers are built using twenties as the block unit. For example:
- 20 = ogún
- 40 = ogójì (2 x 20)
- 60 = ọgọ́ta (3 x 20)
- 100 = ọgọ́rùn (5 x 20)
This makes Yorùbá math incredibly interesting—and logical—once you grasp the structure.
Key Building Blocks: ‘le’, ‘di’, and ‘ona’
To express numbers between multiples of 10 or 20, Yorùbás use three basic operations:
| Yorùbá Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| lé | Add to | 21 → ọ̀kan lé lọ́gún (20 + 1) |
| dín | Subtract from | 19 → ọ̀kan dín lọ́gún (20 – 1) |
| ona/lona | Multiply | 60 → ọgọ́ta = ogún lona mẹ́ta (20 × 3) |
Yoruba Numerals 1–100 (With Examples)
Here’s how to count clearly in Yorùbá, with helpful groupings:
1 to 10
1 – ọ̀kan
2 – èjì
3 – ẹ̀ta
4 – ẹ̀rin
5 – àrún
6 – ẹ̀fà
7 – èje
8 – ẹ̀jọ
9 – ẹ̀sán
10 – ẹ̀wá
11 to 20
11 – ọ̀kanlá
12 – èjìlá
13 – ẹ̀tàlá
14 – ẹ̀rìnlá
15 – ẹ̀ẹdógún
16 – ẹ̀rìndínlógún (20 – 4)
17 – ẹ̀tàdínlógún (20 – 3)
18 – èjìdínlógún (20 – 2)
19 – ọ̀kàndínlógún (20 – 1)
20 – ogún
21 to 40 (Using “lé” and “dín”)
- 21 → ọ̀kanlélogún (20 + 1)
- 25 → ẹ̀ẹdọ́gbọ̀n
- 29 → ọ̀kàndínlọgbọ̀n (30 – 1)
- 30 → ọgbọ̀n
- 39 → ọ̀kàndínlógójì
- 40 → ogójì
Example: What Is 52 in Yorùbá?
Break it down:
- 50 = àádọ́ta
- 2 = èjì
So, 52 = èjìléládọ́ta
Numismatics: Yoruba Counting for Money
In traditional markets and cowrie-based currency days, Yorùbá people had special terms for money-related numbers. For instance:
- 5 cowries = àrún
- 100 cowries = ọgọ́rùn
- 200 = ìgbà
Higher Numbers in Yorùbá (Hundreds and Thousands)
| Number | Yorùbá |
|---|---|
| 100 | ọgọ́rùn |
| 200 | igba |
| 300 | ọ̀ọ́dúnrún |
| 1,000 | ẹgbẹ̀rún |
| 10,000 | mẹ́wàá ẹgbẹ̀rún |
| 1,000,000 | mílíọ́nù |
| 450 | àádọ́rìn-dínláàdọ́rùn (or broken down: 500 – 50) |
Example: How To Say 450 in Yorùbá
Let’s break 450 down:
- 500 = ìdẹ́rùn
- 50 = àádọ́ta
- 450 = àádọ́tadínlìdẹ́rùn (50 less than 500)
Note: In everyday speech, Yoruba speakers might simplify or adapt, but the base rule follows subtraction and twenty-based logic.
Real-Life Usage Examples
- Mo ní ọmọ méta → I have 3 children
- Ẹ̀gbọ́n mi ní ọdún ogójì → My elder sibling is 40 years old
- Jọwọ fi ẹ̀ẹdọ́gbọ̀n naira fún mi → Please give me 25 naira
- Mílíọ́nù kan ò tó mí → One million is not enough for me
Practice Time: Can You Try These?
- What is 74 in Yoruba?
- How do you say 89?
- Translate “I have 2000 naira” into Yoruba.
Answers:
- 74 = ẹ̀rinléládọ́rìn
- 89 = ọ̀kàndínlàdọ́rùn
- “I have 2,000 naira” = Mo ní ẹgbẹ̀rún méjì naira
Why Learn Yoruba Numbers Today?
- To reconnect with your roots and heritage
- To impress elders and native speakers
- To enhance language preservation
- To confidently negotiate or trade in local markets
Final Thoughts: Yoruba Numbers Are Easier Than You Think
The Yoruba counting system may seem complicated at first, but once you understand the base-20 logic and simple rules of addition and subtraction, you can form any number—even 1 million and beyond.
Start practicing today. Before long, you’ll stop squeezing face when someone asks, “What’s 450 in Yorùbá?”
